Membership FAQs
New to dragon boating? Curious about how our Minneapolis-St. Paul breast cancer survivor support group works? Check out our FAQ below. Still have questions? Please contact us.
What are dragon boats?
Dragon boats are colorful narrow boats, typically 40 feet long, propelled by twenty paddlers seated side by side in 10 rows. One person, the stern, steers the boat by standing on the back and using a long oar. During races, a team member also sits at the front of the dragon boat and beats out the stroke rhythm on a drum to help paddlers stay in sync. The sport of dragon boating is ancient, probably beginning in southern China over 2500 years ago.
Where do the Dragon Divas train?
Our home lake is Lake Gervais, located in the east metro area of the Twin Cities in Minnesota. We have practice sessions three times a week, and members may participate in any or all sessions. Our practice season runs from May to September. The Dragon Divas employs a dragon boat coach who leads us through on-the-water paddling exercises and training, encouraging individual progress and team cohesiveness. Several Dragon Divas have also achieved coaching certification, and special training as steers or drummers.
What are festivals?
During the summer we participate in 3 to 4 festivals, generally in the Upper Midwest. These weekend festivals attract dragon boat teams from local and national areas to come together and race. Families and friends often attend to watch the competition and cheer on the Dragon Divas. While we always hope to do well, these are also times of camaraderie, team spirit, and fun.
Festivals are a great way to get to know our teammates. Festivals help us celebrate our physical accomplishments and put our weekly practice to use. Festivals help us connect to the broader breast cancer survivor community, as we participate together in the events. During each festival, a flower ceremony commemorates the ones who have gone before us, lost to the disease of breast cancer. Festivals are life-affirming and inspiring for participants.
Every four years, there is an international dragon boat festival, sponsored by the International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission (IBCPC), drawing breast cancer survivors from all over the world. The Dragon Divas have participated in the IBCPC festivals in Cambridge, New Zealand (2023), Florence, Italy (2018), Sarasota, Florida (2014), and Peterborough, Ontario, Canada (2010).
